M’sians adjust to simple life – The Star Online

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PETALING JAYA: As Malaysians are required to be indoors due to the movement control order (MCO), many have been keeping themselves busy by taking the time to just chill at home, exercise and improve their baking skills.

Wellness coach Gwen Lim has been exercising at her garden to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

I have been doing simple exercises to stay healthy while also spending more time doing devotion to God, said the 39-year-old.

Jess Tan, too, has been using her free time at home practising yoga with her mother and aunt.

My family does yoga by following them online via a video-based fitness training app, the property consultant said.

Tan, 41, said she also spent her time doing sketching.

I also have a video live sketching lesson with my studio instructor, she said, adding that her mother and aunt read up on recipe books to make healthy soups.

For others, the two-week MCO is a time to just relax at home.

I havent been doing much really, just chilling at home watching television. I also help out with house chores, 25-year-old Jake Lee said.The bank employee said the extra time was a much-needed break from his busy routine.

Nur Syakira Abdullah has been spending time trying out new recipes.

I have been baking and cooking dishes like murtabak maggi and oreo chocolate cake for the past five days. It was really fun and I enjoyed it, the 23-year-old administrative officer said.

On Facebook, Lissie McLaren said she also took time to bake cookies and cakes, as well as read manga and watch anime.

For Ravendran Supramaniam, 45, he was busy working from home.

I am on standby for meetings with the Health Ministry.

I have been preparing for two meetings with the ministry for dialysis and intensive care unit equipment, the haemodialysis and critical care business associate director said.

Ravendran also used his spare time to read up on healthcare news and stay in touch with family members and friends via video calls.

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First Look: Wellness Club The Remedy Place Wants to Detox Your Social Life – Hollywood Reporter

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6:00 AM PST 11/21/2019byRachel Marlowe

Imagine if, instead of meeting in a conference room at NeueHouse or over a Picante at Soho House, you were a member of a club where you could take a conference call in a hyperbaric chamber; brainstorm with your team in an infrared sauna; catch up on emails in a private IV lounge; or meet at the bar for an adaptogenic alcohol-free cocktail?

Thats the idea behind Remedy Place, a new social wellness club set to open Tuesday in West Hollywood. I wanted to create a place where your social life could be enhanced by a healthy lifestyle, rather than being sacrificed as a result, says founder Dr. Jonathan Leary, a celebrity wellness guru whose clients include a mix of professional athletes, high-powered CEOs and actors such as Julianne Hough and Freida Pinto.

Designed around what Leary believes to be the seven elements of balance Mind, Oxygen, Movement, Nutrients, Cold, Heat and Compression the zen-meets-luxury space aims to provide a 360-degree approach to holistic health from the moment a visitor walks in. Eschewing the traditional minimalism of wellness destinations, the club is all warm Venetian plaster walls and lush velvet drapes; the lighting system has been designed to limit blue light (which can inhibit rest and relaxation); and the sound system plays an underlying soundtrack of a combination of 7.83hz (which, at the frequency of the Earth, is grounding) and 40hz sound frequencies (which stimulates gamma brainwave activity).

Dr. Leary, who was previously only available to private clients, will be on hand at the club, open seven days a week, along with a "head of mind" (rather than a club manager) and a team of "wellness warriors." This includes recovery specialists who create custom programs; wellness and naturopathic doctors to carry out testing and blood analyses; nurse practitioners to administer custom IV blends; and nutritional bartenders who mix up bespoke tonics. While all of the services are offered a la carte, there is also a menu of packages to address specific stressors. The Post-LAX package is designed to reset and re-balance after travel with a combination of hyperbaric chamber oxygen therapy, infrared sauna and an ice bath with breath work. The Morning After combats hangovers with a mix of cryotherapy, infrared sauna and a lymphatic drainage massage. And the Rest Day protocol mixes cryotherapy, movement therapy and hyperbaric chamber oxygen therapy.

There also is a studio with a full schedule of group mediation, yoga and breathwork classes; a nutritional bar with a menu of healthy, locally sourced, all-natural food and alcohol-free beverages; and, of course, a lounge where members can work and hang out. Monthly membership ($495) includes unlimited cryotherapy, meditation and stretch classes; one hyperbaric chamber oxygen therapy, infrared sauna or lymphatic drainage massage per month; one IV treatment per month; and curated weekly programming from leading industry experts, including chats, workshops, educational seminars and social mixers. Non-members can also book in for services, take classes and use the bar and lounge.

Remedy Place is the manifestation of my lifes work, says Leary. I want people to take back control, to utilize incredible technologies that exist today to keep their bodies in a healthy state of balance and through preventative care that counteracts these modern stressors.

Remedy Place, 8305 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069. For more information on membership and services, visit remedyplace.com.

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New WHO report: Ignoring the health of people in prisons now comes at a high cost for society later – World Health Organization

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21 November 2019, Copenhagen, Denmark

The WHO status report on prison health in the WHO European Region presents an analysis of data collected on the health status of people in prison and prison health systems for 39 countries in the Region. The WHO survey collected data from Member States between 2016 and 2017 to enable monitoring and surveillance of health in prisons.

The report reveals that the general state of monitoring and surveillance systems for health in prisons is poor. This affects the development of evidence-based policies that effectively target the needs of the prison population.

We only have data from 39 countries, but the data that we have indicate an enormous difference in the general health of people in prison compared to those in the outside world. Collecting this data is essential to enable the integration of prison health policies into the broader public health agenda benefiting the entire society, says Dr Carina Ferreira-Borges, Programme Manager for Alcohol and Illicit Drugs at the WHO Regional Office for Europe.

An estimated 6 million people are incarcerated each year in the Region. After release, rates of reoffending and returning to prison are high. The report points out that this cycle between prison and community often leads to disjointed and ineffective health care outside of prison.

During the early days of a persons release, the risk of suicide, self-harm and drug overdose is increased. This means that continuity of care during this transition is critical. Gaps in care during this period have significant negative public health implications and can constrain a countrys ability to address inequalities.

A large proportion of people in prison return to the community every year, so viewing prison as a setting for public health opens an opportunity for public health actions and for improving health literacy to support and protect vulnerable populations, says Dr Bente Mikkelsen, Director of the Division of Noncommunicable Diseases and Promoting Health through the Life-course at the WHO Regional Office for Europe.

A prison sentence takes away a persons liberty; it should not also take away their health and their right to health, she adds.

Prisons and other places of detention have an opportunity to deliver preventive and risk-reduction interventions and treatments to a population that previously may have lacked or had limited access to health care and a healthy lifestyle.

According to the report, prisons must be seen as settings in which health interventions can address existing health conditions and contribute to positive lifestyles and behaviour changes. Time in prison can also be used to improve peoples skills to help them find a job after release and reintegrate into society.

The prison population, with its disproportionate disease burden, is one that cannot be forgotten in WHOs pursuit of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. To achieve universal health coverage and better health and well-being for all, as in WHOs vision, it is vital that prisons are seen as a window of opportunity to change lifestyles and ensure that no one is left behind, emphasizes Dr Mikkelsen.

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New WHO report: Ignoring the health of people in prisons now comes at a high cost for society later - World Health Organization

3 basic foods that help keep your immune system in top shape – The Star Online

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When you stop to think about how hard your immune system works for you, its nothing short of amazing.

Its an incredibly complex system that works nonstop to protect and defend your body from infection. Its also a system that depends on good nutrition in order to function properly.

As Malaysia does not experience the four seasons, residents are fortunate that they dont have to deal with the illnesses that tends to come with cold weather.

However, Malaysias weather can also be tricky it can be hot and dry, or wet and rainy.

Studies have shown that heatwaves can reduce the bodys immune response to the flu, or affect vaccines and nutrition. This is why strengthening your immune system is so important.

Your immune system is made up of your own personal army of soldiers.

They protect your body by identifying anything foreign, from a virus to a bacteria to a parasite, then seeking it out and destroying it.

Our bodies depend on proper nutrients and a healthy lifestyle to keep our defences strong.

Here are three items that are important to help keep your immune system in tip-top shape:

Protein

Your immune system has some special forces in the form of white blood cells.

These cells produce specialised proteins called antibodies, which seek out and destroy invading viruses and bacteria.

As antibodies are proteins, you need adequate protein in the diet to ensure that youll be able to manufacture the antibodies your body needs.

Healthy proteins, like fish, poultry, lean meats, soy foods and low-fat dairy products, provide the building blocks your body needs to make these specialised proteins.

Fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are key players in immune system health as theyre great sources of vitamins A and C, as well as phytonutrients.

Vitamin C encourages your body to produce antibodies, while vitamin A supports the health of your skin and the tissues of your digestive tract and respiratory system.

All of these act as first lines of prevention against foreign invaders.

Many of the phytonutrients found in fruits and veggies act as antioxidants, which can help reduce oxidative stress on the body that may weaken your bodys ability to fight off illness.

Good bacteria

Keeping your digestive system healthy is also important in supporting immune function.

Your digestive tract is home to trillions of bacteria that have numerous functions in promoting health.

Some strains of bacteria help you break down the fibre in your foods, others consume intestinal gas, while yet others help produce vitamins like vitamins K and B12.

When your system is populated with these good bacteria, they also crowd out potentially harmful bacteria that might enter your digestive tract.

Some of the best sources of these friendly bacteria are cultured dairy products, like yoghurt and kefir.

As you know, whenever youre trying something new, make sure to check with your doctor or nutritionist about the right amount to take.

Some people suffer medical conditions that affect the operation of their immune systems, and diet alone wont help them.

But for healthy people, eating well can help keep your immune system healthy and strong.

To help your body in the fight against foreign invaders, your internal army needs the best nutrition possible so call in the troops!

This article is courtesy of Herbalife Malaysia.

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3 basic foods that help keep your immune system in top shape - The Star Online

DrChrono Partners with Lief Therapeutics to Help Physicians Remotely Monitor Patients’ Mental Health as More Visits Go Virtual Due to COVID-19 -…

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SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DrChrono Inc., the company enabling the medical practice of the future, announces new partnership with Lief Therapeutics. Lief provides a discreet, FDA Class II ECG patch that improves the gold standard biomarker for mental health, heart rate variability (HRV), through personalized biofeedback training. In addition, Liefs virtual behavioral health coaches help extend physicians care teams through secure, one-on-one patient support through its remote patient monitoring platform.

Lief Therapeutics is now leveraging DrChronos Open API to enable providers to seamlessly connect patients to mental health resources. Providers can take advantage of Liefs plug-and-play model, which determines patient eligibility, ships a Lief device directly to the patients door, and assigns them a dedicated behavioral health specialist, all fully remotely.

Liefs biomarker reports and clinical support services are insurance reimbursable, and automatically integrate with patients existing electronic health record (EHR). By giving providers access to patient biomarker data in conjunction with their self report, Lief enables more accurate assessments of patient mental health than ever before.

With the COVID-19 crisis, we see a dramatic reduction in face-to-face mental health services, as well as an increase in patient symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression. Liefs virtual behavioral health coaches and wearable smart patch empower patients to improve their mental health without coming into the clinic, said Rohan Dixit, CEO and Founder of Lief Therapeutics. Teaming up with DrChrono allows important biomarker data to become part of the patients electronic health record, and gives physicians an innovative tool to add to their telemedicine arsenal so they can improve patients mental health remotely.

Telemedicine tools right now are critical to physician practices as more appointments in the coming weeks and months go virtual, said Daniel Kivatinos, COO and Co-Founder of DrChrono. It is important for us to partner with breakthrough smart device companies like Lief Therapeutics to arm physicians with real-time data on patients. Wearable device companies are the wave of the future and the fact that this can be done remotely is essential for whats going on in the world today.

About Lief TherapeuticsLief Therapeutics offers a remote patient monitoring platform for mental health for healthcare providers, and virtual behavioral health coaching and biofeedback training for consumers and patients. Lief Rx, Liefs prescription-only device for patients, is indicated for HRV-based relaxation training, which, as part of a healthy lifestyle, may help reduce the risk of anxiety and depression. For more information about Lief Therapeutics, visit http://www.getlief.com.

About DrChronoDrChrono focuses on bringing the medical practice of the future to reality; the company built the first iPad EHR. DrChrono creates the best electronic health record, practice management, medical billing and revenue cycle management experience for physicians and patients; the health platform was built for iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch and the web. The EHR includes customizable medical forms, e-prescribing, real-time patient eligibility checks, patient portal and more. The Healthcare Partner Platform Marketplace offers a multitude of apps that a practice can select from to bundle in and a medical API for healthcare app developers. DrChrono has attracted thousands of physicians, over 17.8 million patients, 69 million appointments booked and 11 billion dollars in medical billing processed in the platform. For more information about DrChrono, visit http://www.drchrono.com.

Media Contact:Kerry MetzdorfBig Swing Communications 978-463-2575 press@drchrono.com

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DrChrono Partners with Lief Therapeutics to Help Physicians Remotely Monitor Patients' Mental Health as More Visits Go Virtual Due to COVID-19 -...

Healthy lifestyle to beat cancer – The New Indian Express

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Express News Service

CHENNAI: International Womens Day is celebrated every year on March 8 across the globe. Over the years, the day a celebration of women, their works and rights; a day to mark the social, economic and political independence of women has taken different shapes. While a lot has changed since the days inception in 1910, one aspect has often been ignored focus on the health of a woman.

Though non-communicable diseases like DM and HT were once the primary causes of death in women, now, cancer is found to be the leading cause of death. The focus should be laid on looking at the diseases women are prone to at various stages of their life. For instance, during the adolescent phase, PCOS, a lifestyle condition, is prevalent. In the later stages of life, one can find a major portion of women having issues pertaining to infertility. Approximately 30 per cent of women suffer from this. Though medical care technology has advanced, the health issues have been skyrocketing at an alarming rate. With the advent of laparoscopy and hysteroscopy, most of the problems can be rectified with these procedures.

Technology should not be misused. For instance, oocyte cryopreservation (Egg banking) should not be suggested by clinics and hospitals as a means to earn more, it should be offered to women who are suffering from cancer.So the message is loud and clear to achieve more and more in life, women need to take care of their health and make the foundation strong to build their career. The writer is a renowned Obstetrician & Gynaecologist at Firm Hospitals

Health issuesApproximately 30 per cent of women suffer from PCOS. Health issues have been sky-rocketing.

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Natasha Kanade has helped many achieve their fitness goals – The Statesman

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The biggest challenge for any individual to become fit is to understand where to start from. Many people suffer from obesity, PCOS, diabetes and other health issues which are major concerns. Amidst such health issues, Natasha Kanade, a fitness expert is bringing a wave of change with her health and fitness centre, Transform With Natasha. It has helped many people with insane body transformation.

She says, Everyones body reacts differently and therefore my programs are customized according to the requirements of the clients. Laying more emphasis on diet, she believes that the perfect diet exists.

With proper guidance about diet and nutrition, Natasha has given everyone a new meaning on how to live a healthy lifestyle. Many of her clients are praising the health expert for her incredible work. Heres what her clients have to say after following the guidance given by TWN.

Manish Mehta

A doctor by profession, he suffered from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and was overweight. Under Natashas guidance and proper diet, he lost 15 kgs in 4 months.

He says, Due to diet, exercise and weight loss, I think my thought process has become completely different. Now I try to see the positive side of everything before coming to any conclusion. I have become very calm and confident and small adversities dont disappoint or even bother me. Thanks to Natasha for her support and great guidance. I am still able to maintain my weight and feel confident and more energetic.

Seetha Narayan

Seetha who has been a corporate employee had a very hectic job with no time to focus on her health. It led to a lot of weight gain. However at TWN, she started her journey with mild cardio and resistance training and 6 months down, she has shed 15 kgs.

Seetha was all praises for Natasha and she said, I am going to lean towards you for any advice and guidance I would require in future as well. You have helped me with a very big lifestyle change this diet for the last 6 months has not only resulted in weight loss but it has helped me to get healthier, gain confidence and slay it! I cant express how much you have been incredibly supportive during this process.

Grusha Mandhyani

A BMM student in Mumbai, Grusha most of the time ate junk food from the college canteen as she stayed away from home. She suddenly started gaining weight until she realized that she has PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome). It started to take a toll on her health and soon she joined TWN after which she lost 10 kgs in 3 months.

Speaking about how Natasha Kanade changed her life, she said, Months after I went back to my home, my family members were surprised and happy to see my transformation. I can manage my diet even after juggling between shoots, college and personal life which worked for me. Of course, tough times are there but I can maintain my diet. A big thank you to Natasha for bringing a huge change in my life.

If you are someone who is dealing with health and body-weight issues and want to get into perfect shape, Natasha Kanade is the name you can rely on. She has not only brought drastic change among people but also helped them achieve their fitness goals.

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Natasha Kanade has helped many achieve their fitness goals - The Statesman

Healthy habits can lengthen life | National Institutes of …

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American dont live as long as people in most other high-income countries. Heart disease and cancer are two of the most common preventable chronic diseases in the United States. An unhealthy lifestyle increases your risk for these and other chronic diseases that can lead to an early death.

To explore the effects of healthy habits on Americans health and lifespan, a team of scientists led by Frank Hu at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health analyzed data from more than 78,000 women and 44,000 men who participated in two nationwide surveys: the Nurses Health Study (NHS) and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS). They used other data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to estimate the distribution of lifestyle choices and death rates across the U.S. population. The research was supported in part by NIHs National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and National Cancer Institute (NCI). Results were published online in Circulation on April 30, 2018.

The team collected data on five different low-risk lifestyle factors and compared health outcomes for those who adopted all five with those who didnt adopt any. The five factors included maintaining a healthy eating pattern (getting the daily recommended amountsof vegetables, fruit, nuts, whole grains, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and omega-3 fatty acids and limiting red and processed meats, beverages with added sugar, trans fat, and sodium); not smoking; getting at least 3.5 hours of moderate to vigorous physical activity each week; drinking only moderate amounts of alcohol (one drink or less per day for women or two drinks or less per day for men); and maintaining a normal weight (body mass index between 18.5 and 24.9). The researchers also collected information about the participants medical history, such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, as well as when they died.

At age 50, women who didnt adopt any of the five healthy habits were estimated to live on average until they were 79 years old and men until they were 75.5 years. In contrast, women who adopted all five healthy lifestyle habits lived 93.1 years and men lived 87.6 years.

Independently, each of the five healthy lifestyle factors significantly lowered the risk of total death, death from cancer, and death from heart disease.

This study underscores the importance of following healthy lifestyle habits for improving longevity in the U.S. population, Hu says. However, adherence to healthy lifestyle habits is very low. Therefore, public policies should put more emphasis on creating healthy food, built, and social environments to support and promote healthy diet and lifestyles.

by Tianna Hicklin, Ph.D.

References:Impact of Healthy Lifestyle Factors on Life Expectancies in the US Population. Li Y, Pan A, Wang DD, Liu X, Dhana K, Franco OH, Kaptoge S, Di Angelantonio E, Stampfer M, Willett WC, Hu FB. Circulation. 2018 Apr 30. pii: CIRCULATIONAHA.117.032047. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.117.032047. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 29712712.

Funding:NIHs National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and National Cancer Institute (NCI); British Heart Foundation; UK Medical Research Council; National Key Research and Development Program of China; and American Heart Association.

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Midday Fix: Wines & Spirits That Wont Hurt Your New Year Healthy Lifestyle – WGN TV Chicago

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Notes on Wines and Spirits:

Low Sugar Diet: If youre looking to decrease your sugar intake, opt for a zero dosage champagne or sparkling wine. These have no added sugar. Laurent Perrier Ultra Brut, which well sample, is a delicious option. Now, cocktails tend to be high in sugar because of mixers so stick to sparkling water or soda water instead. In our Absolut Apple Bottom cocktail, Ive used sparkling water and a dash of bitters for a great taste.

Low Calorie Diet / Low Carb Diet: If youre following a low carb diet like the Keto Diet or are counting calories, avoid sweet wines and dessert wines which typically have around 165 calories and 7 carbs per serving. Instead, opt for dry wines which have about 100-120 calories and 2-3 grams of carbs in 4 ounces. When it comes to cocktails and spirits, go neat. Neat spirits on average have 80 calories per ounce and zero grams of carbs.

For New Vegans: If you've decided to give up all things animal and happen to love wine, you should know that not all wines are Vegan-friendly. But, I've got the scoop on the best Vegan wines to add to your collection! Vegan wines like the Cosimo Maria Masini Matilde Ros, dont use an animal-based substance (such as egg whites or gelatin) to clarify the wine after fermentation, as others do.

Items Featured:

White Wine: Cave de Lugny Chardonnay, Macon-Villages, Burgundy, France $13.99

Red Wine: The Curator Red Blend, Swartland, South Africa $12.99

Rose Wine: Cosimo Maria Masini Matilde Ros, Tuscany, Italy $14.99

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Name: Laurent Perrier Ultra Brut

Calories & Carbs: 60 calories vs 100 calories typically found in other dry champagnes. There is also no added sugar, which is great for a Low-Sugar Diet.

Grape: 55% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir

Taste: Laurent-Perrier Ultra Brut is Champagne in its most natural form. Depth and power, with a purity and concentration of flavor all its own. Amazingly well balanced and absolutely bone dry.

Retail: Available at Binnys Beverage Depot, $70

Name: Cosimo Maria Masini Matilde Ros, Tuscany, Italy

Calories & Carbs: An average of 120 calories and 3 grams of carbs

Grape: Sangiovese

Taste: A dry Ros wine with fresh tart raspberry flavors and minerality.

Retail: Available at EATALY Chicago, $14.99

Name: Absolut Apple Bottom

Base: Absolut Juice Apple

Calories & Carbs: 78 calories and 2 grams of carbs

Taste: Absolut Juice Edition is made with premium one-source Absolut Vodka, Apple juice and natural flavors. Fresh in both aroma and taste, with a distinct character of ripened Apple. Smooth with a well-balanced sweetness.

Retail: Target, $20.99

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Midday Fix: Wines & Spirits That Wont Hurt Your New Year Healthy Lifestyle - WGN TV Chicago

Diets of fathers can affect future health of offspring, study finds – The Irish Times

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A fathers diet can have a significant effect on the future health of his offspring, affecting everything from blood pressure to heart function and putting them at greater risk of cardiovascular disease, according to research.

The lead author of a British study says the findings show that men who want to start a family should have a healthy, balanced diet from at least three months before conception.

A study from researchers at the University of Nottingham published in the Journal of Physiology shows that poor paternal diet, specifically one that is low in protein, may impact the heart health of the offspring by changing sperm, and the seminal fluid, which bathes sperm.

We have known for a very long time that what a mother eats during pregnancy can influence how her child develops, and whether or not it will develop obesity, type two diabetes and heart disease, explains senior author of the study, and lead researcher, Prof Adam Watkins, assistant professor in reproductive biology at the universitys faculty of medicine and health sciences. However, the importance of the fathers diet on the health of the offspring has been largely ignored or overlooked. We were interested in investigating whether a fathers poor-quality diet at the time of conception might affect the long-term health of its offspring.

Researchers carried out their study on male mice on a poor, low-protein diet, monitoring the cardiovascular health of their offspring. The way mice produce sperm, the way the embryo develops, the way the foetus develops and the way a mouses blood and heart function are all very similar to humans. This means we can use mice to identify important biological processes which we can then look at in human patients.

What his research found, he reports, was both that the way the mices blood vessels worked, and the level of certain important factors in their blood, which regulate heart and blood vessel function, were significantly altered in response to the poor diet of the father: The blood vessels in the offspring did not work as well as they should do. This can ultimately affect blood pressure.

The normal proteins in the blood which would regulate blood vessels and heart function were altered, says Prof Watkins, adding that essentially what this meant was that the young mice were at increased risk of developing cardiovascular ill-health or heart disease.

We know that a poor lifestyle in men does have negative influences on sperm quality and that being overweight or smoking, or consuming excessive alcohol is not good for reproductive health. What we dont know yet is what the long-term implications of a fathers poor diet or lifestyle might be, he says.

We know that the sperm provides genetic information from a father to the egg it fertilises, and we know that poor diet in males can change that. We also know that the seminal fluid in which sperm is carried, interacts with the uterus and initiates a range of responses in the maternal immune system. These responses prime the uterus for the embryo.

We know that the sperm provides genetic information and that the seminal fluid primes the uterus for the embryo, so here are two possible ways that a fathers diet could influence how the offspring might develop.

Essentially, Prof Watkins explains, the Nottingham research shows that the health of mice offspring is influenced by sperm and fluid and that both of them have an equal influence on offspring health.

However, he says, while the research has to date only been carried out on mice, it has significant implications for human fertility in fact the researchers hope to run clinical trials on humans within the next two or three years.

We know that it can take about 75 days to make a sperm, and that seminal fluid is reproduced every 24-48 hours, says Prof Watkins.

If a man goes on a crash diet a week before getting his partner pregnant, he explains, the sperm will continue to reflect the old, poor quality diet,while the seminal fluid will reflect the newer, better-quality diet.

Therefore there may be a situation where the sperm and the fluid are not compatible to each other, so we are saying that if the sperm and the fluid are different, we see the biggest effect on offspring health.

The potential message is this, he warns: If men and women are thinking about changing their lifestyle and becoming parents, we would say that ideally they begin the changes three months before trying to start a family. That is an ideal time frame to change over from a poor diet and lifestyle to a healthier one in terms of its implications for the mans reproductive health.

The Nottingham research findings have interesting implications for what we know about the role of seminal fluid and sperm DNA fragmentation (a term used for the presence of abnormal genetic material within the sperm, which may lead to male subfertility, in-vitro fertilisation failure and miscarriage) believes Dr Bart Kuczera, consultant gynaecologist and fertility expert at Beacon Care Fertility:

What we know is that men with a poor lifestyle in terms of diet, smoking and drinking can have a condition called sperm DNA fragmentation.

Men are advised to live a healthy lifestyle in order to keep their sperm in the best condition, because, he explains: Sperm DNA fragmentation can be affected by poor diet, stress and overeating, for example. This study would make the case for a good diet and lifestyle for men; that is, a normal balanced protein diet.

Sperm quality of men in the western world, he warned, has been shown to have deteriorated in the last 40 years: We believe this is very linked to lifestyle and the environment, to the sedentary lifestyle and a poor diet which reaches the recommended carbohydrate level but would not include a diversity of food.

In the greater picture you could potentially have a population of children who would be affected in terms of physical health problems and weight gain as a result of the paternal diet at conception. It is important to spread the responsibility between the man and the woman at the time of conception, he says, adding that this study suggests that the father may have an equally significant impact on his offsprings health problems.

This study has implications for our knowledge about diet and lifestyle in terms of fertility and men should be made aware of it, believes Dr Hans Arce, fertility consultant and medical director of ReproMed, a leading Irish fertility and IVF clinic network. The majority of our knowledge in relation to diet and lifestyle in terms of fertility comes because we studied women. Women were the ones who got pregnant and they were the focus. We saw, for example, that women with obesity had children with a higher risk of obesity and diabetes.

However this study showed the offspring of male mice with poor diets ended up having the expression of inflammation, and more of a tendency to high blood pressure, for example.

Men should be made aware of this. Its something the schools, the public health service and the GP should be telling men about that our diets can affect their future childrens health. Studies like these have implication for human beings, he says, adding that the results point in the direction of the fact that the health of a man may have implications for the health of his offspring.

What this study says, he observes, is that a mans diet will not just affect his own health, but potentially has implications for the health of his offspring: We dont have proper human studies yet this is mice but it is pointing in that direction!

Lifestyle is the single biggest issue when it comes to fertility, believes consultant nutritionist Gaye Godkin.

Godkin believes the University of Nottingham study is a further endorsement of what she says, is the role of epigenetics in health outcomes from pre-conception health across the life course.

There is a growing body of evidence showing just how much the fathers diet impacts on the pre-conception phase, in terms of its
impact on sperm and seminal fluid and from there on to the long-term health of his offspring.

Epigenetics, she explains, is the environment in which the sperm lives prior to penetrating the egg. Sperm is produced around every 75 days or so but new seminal fluid is produced every 24 to 48 hours.

If the man has a long-term poor diet, it will affect his sperm, she says, adding however, that a man can have healthy sperm, while at the same time his seminal fluid could be of much lower quality because of a poor diet just before conception.

Normal sperm carries DNA. A poor diet has a negative effect on the DNA and the DNA enzymes which in turn are crucial to the formation of a healthy foetus.

In fertility clinics, they measure the level of a condition called DNA fragmentation in the male sperm. This test shows the quality of the sperm. For years I have worked with men who have high levels of DNA fragmentation in their sperm. I believe that it is strongly linked to diet, as well as to lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, excess weight and the effect of pesticides.

While the Nottingham study was based on a mouse model, she says, its findings were moving in the right direction in terms of our understanding of the volatility of sperm quality and what affects it, as well as its relationship with the internal environment of the male body.

While there is no medical treatment available for DNA fragmentation, says Godkin, she has found that 90 days on a good-quality diet which also features a reversal of poor lifestyle factors can lead to fragmentation levels being significantly reduced to the extent that a couple are in a position to use their own sperm to achieve conception.

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Diets of fathers can affect future health of offspring, study finds - The Irish Times

United Way Now Accepting Applications for Health Care Subsidy Program – Madison Commons

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The United Way of Dane County is joining forces with UW Health and Quartz to offer local residents a subsidized health insurance premium through their joint program, HealthConnect, according to a press release from the organization.

The program may help tighten the healthcare gap in Dane County, as the 20192021 Community Health Needs Assessment identified inequities in nearly every category of health outcomes along lines of race, gender, age, and other identity-based populations.

Piloted in 2014, this program has protected nearly 2,500 Dane County individuals and families, covering nearly $912,140 in premiums, according to the release.

Enrollment in the program is relatively straightforward, requiring folks to be a US citizen living in Dane County, have an income within the stated range, and fit within acceptable criteria for federal assistance through the Affordable Care Act. Geared toward low-income folks, HealthConnect has provided preventative care such as screenings and vaccinations for over 80 percent of those previously or currently enrolled, providing public health benefits in addition to personal health outcomes.

Despite being ranked among the top 10 healthiest counties in Wisconsin and flaunting an extensive provider system, over 25,000 Dane County residents do not have health insurance, according to US Census data. This is particularly concerning when considering how disparities in access to affordable healthcare may correlate with disparities in health outcomes. For example, African Americans living in Wisconsin make the least on average in terms of median household income, and also experience higher incidence of heart disease, lower life expectancies, and higher infant mortality rates.

Wisconsin is also the only state with expanded eligibility for Medicaid coverage without receiving additional federal funding for the programs, the most extensive of which is BadgerCare Plus. Yet, when Governor Tony Evers announced his budget for the previous fiscal year, he proposed to broaden the BadgerCare Plus coverage of adults in order to reach the threshold needed to receive additional federal funding, which would have potentially offered another avenue of health care for low-income folks if passed. The Republican-controlled state legislature will most likely further prevent this funding from rolling in any time soon.

Regardless, the reception of HealthConnect has been positive in the past five years of the programs existence, with 2019 enrollees praising the subsidy for allowing them to worry less about their already-tight budgets, and provide themselves and their families with the medical care necessary to maintain a happy and healthy lifestyle.

HealthConnects application period runs from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15 and, for those eligible, may fully cover monthly premiums starting in January 2020. The application is available on the United Way of Dane County website.

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United Way Now Accepting Applications for Health Care Subsidy Program - Madison Commons

If you have diabetes, a crop of new medicines may help your heart – Harvard Health

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Published: December, 2019

If you're a woman with diabetes, your risk of developing heart disease is four times that of a woman without diabetes. That means protecting your heart health should be a top priority. It starts with adopting heart-healthy lifestyle changes. But if you have a history of heart attack or stroke or are high risk for other reasons, your doctor may suggest a diabetes medication with extra benefits.

Women and their doctors can choose from a crop of new drugs that may reduce diabetes-related heart risks. "Today we're starting to try to customize or personalize an individual's preventive medicine. We take certain subgroups of patients such as those with a past history of stroke, heart attack, or heart failure and steer them toward specific drugs based on new data," says Dr. David Nathan, director of the Diabetes Center and Clinical Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

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If you have diabetes, a crop of new medicines may help your heart - Harvard Health

The Key to a Healthy Lifestyle by Pt. Roopnauth Sharma (Part 3) – Video

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The Key to a Healthy Lifestyle by Pt. Roopnauth Sharma (Part 3)
Mississauga Ram Mandir Sunday service May 18 2014 Pundit Roopnauth Sharma speaks about the essentials to maintaining a healthy lifestyle Visit us at http://www.rammandir.ca for dates and events...

By: MississaugaRamMandir

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The Key to a Healthy Lifestyle by Pt. Roopnauth Sharma (Part 3) - Video

Career Hunt SK

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Kelly Running

Joan Bue skips with a grade two during the Jump Rope for Heart event held at the Carlyle Elementary School. She taught the youth a number of fun different ways to enjoy skipping.

Kelly Running

Carlyle Elementary School found themselves promoting a healthy lifestyle as they participated in the Heart and Stroke Foundations Jump Rope for Heart, a program where youth collect pledges for heart disease and stroke research.

Approximately 4,000 schools across Canada participate with nearly 750,000 kids participating in the event.

In Carlyle the grade two students accompanied by grade six playground leaders practiced Thursdays at noon for six weeks before completing their half an hour of skipping rope on Thursday, March 20.

We used to do the whole school, event organizer Joan Bue explained. Theres too many kids to fit in here now and the grade threes and up do cross country, and track and field, so this gives the grade twos something special to do.

Something special indeed as the grade twos successfully raised $3,329.25 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation, which they cheered loudly about when the number was revealed by Bue after the skipping was completed.

The amount we raise stays in Saskatchewan with the Heart and Stroke Foundation and were given 10 percent of what we raise back to us, Bue stated.

The youth will deliberate on what to use this money for as they are currently completing a social studies program promoting community projects.

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Career Hunt SK